Shameless: The Complete First Season

American producer John Wells teamed up with British creator Paul Abbott to adapt the latter's successful dramedy of a family scraping by on the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder, relocating the action from Manchester to South Chicago. The Showtime series stars William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher, a perpetually drunk single father of six, and Emmy Rossum as eldest daughter Fiona, who juggles multiple jobs to manage things in his absence. It's not that Frank—who is on permanent disability—has run off; rather, he's simply not around, or has passed out during those rare times he's home. The other kids do what they can to help out: Philip (Jeremy Allen White) accepts payments for taking the SAT for classmates; Ian (Cameron Monaghan) works at a convenience store; and Deb (Emma Kenney) pilfers from her UNICEF collections. Ten-year-old Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) and baby Liam are too young to add to the family till. Also stepping up to take on some responsibility is Fiona's boyfriend, Steve (Justin Chatwin), a car thief with a double identity. While it's not your traditional portrait of family values, Shameless works—creating an often compelling portrait of a household doing its best under difficult circumstances. Compiling all 12 episodes from 2011's first season on DVD and Blu-ray, extras include an audio commentary on the pilot, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a sneak peek at the next season. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)